"Take-A-Treat" Night

It is Charlotta's first Halloween and I think that she made an adorable elephant! She was not very happy in the hood, so it came off pretty quick. She and papa stayed home to man the door, while the rest of us went "take-a-treating!"

Brennen was the cutest Holloweener ever! I was pushing him in the stroller, but it could only go up to the front step. He would hop off and start running to the door. While everyone else yelled "trick-or-treat," he must of heard "take-a-treat", so that is what he yelled! Then, he would sneak under everyone else and grab 5 pieces of candy. I did not realize what he was doing at first, but I kept wondering how his bucket was so much more full than all the others! Finally, I spotted that little hand going in and coming out with a whole bundle of candy. I stopped it right away, but he already had quite a haul! "Take-a-treat, take-a treat..."

Pumpkin carving time!

It's time to carve our pumpkins! The kids just love doing this (although I feel like I do all the work!). They think the inside of the pumpkin is too gross to touch, but we forge ahead anyway. Here they are cleaning out the pumpkins.

Brennen was really interested in the inside of the pumpkin!

The finished products--I know, I really don't have any carving skills, but the kids were very happy with them, so I am happy!

Each pumpkin is a kid and they are standing under their pumpkin selves (they designed the faces themselves-I just carved). Skylar, Charlotta, James, Kellen, and Brennen.

Skylar gets glasses!

It makes me a little sad, but Skylar now needs glasses. Since my eyes are so bad, I was kind of hoping my kids would not need them, but it looks like all of them are going to have to have them (they said to wait a while yet on James and Kellen). She was pretty excited about them and so far has been taking very good care of them!

A wonderful Friday!

Papa came home last night and was such a savior. My voice has been gone for the last week (it is finally coming back) and I have been pretty run down. He got home and immediately put Skylar and James to bed. Then, this morning he got up and got all the kids ready for school, made them breakfast and got them out the door. He even put Charlotta down for her morning nap. He let me sleep in until 10:00. I can't explain how much that extra sleep has helped me!


Now then, there are a few things that you should know about Kellen. 1. He loves pajamas. I can just barely get him into regular clothes to go to school. The second he comes home, he is back into PJ's. His favorite pair is his Moose Jam's. He has worn them so much that they had huge gaping holes at the knees, so I had to cut them off to make them into shorts. 2. He loves band-aids. I have to hide them or he will go through a whole box in a week! 3. He is just a little bit crazy! So put all of those things together and you get this:

Falling apart moose jams, band-aid on the forehead for a bruise, crazy goggle wearing Kellen!




Of course, James wanted in on the fun!

The favorite outfit in person!

I had to get this on Charlotta right away and I do think that she wears it quite well!

The Halloween box has arrived!

David's (my stepfather) favorite holiday is Halloween. So every year, in order to get the kids as excited about Halloween as he is, he sends a big Halloween box. This years box is by far the best Halloween box yet! I was (secretly) praying for there to be no Pumpkin cups this year (since I have about 20 from the previous years) and there were none!

It's here! It's here! We have been waiting since the start of October for the Halloween box!

Skylar diligently read the whole letter to the boys before they could go further into the box. She struggled a little with this sentence-"I have enclosed a Halloween bag for each of you with some individually tailored items which, I think, might correspond highly with your individuality." But, she made it through. They are all very excited about the promise of a movie in the future!

Now, let's dig in!

Brennen screaming, "Hey, wait for me!"

Checking out their "individually tailored" bags.

The kids all got a Halloween PJ and some Halloween underwear and of course some candy. Here they are displaying their jamies (Skylar is screaming we love candy corn)!

Charlotta really made out with quite a few new outfits. Here they are (as well as the glow-in-the-dark skeleton PJ's she is wearing above).

But this is my favorite of everything in the box! I like it all, but this is the best-I just love the tutu. I wanted to put it on her, but as you can see above, she was not in the mood for another change of clothes.


Thank you, David! The kids really loved everything!

James' first swim meet!

It was the first swim meet of the year and James' first swim meet ever! It was so cute watching his little body go through the water. He tries so hard and has such a competitive streak in him. All he wanted was to win! I had to keep reminding him that he was only six and it might be a while before he wins one. Here he is at warm-ups.

Behind the blocks before his 25 free.


Skylar getting ready for her 25 breast (where she kicked a little ass!)!


Taking a break between events, playing with her friend Jessica.

The cheerleaders!

Mommy goes to Pumpkinland with Kellen's preschool class!

I got to be a chaperon for Kellen's preschool class as they went to Pumpkinland! We had a lot of fun together. We started out at the corn maze.

Kellen and his best friend, Gavin.

Then it was off to the animals.

Then every kid got to pick out a pumpkin to bring home!

Finally, a picture together, but Kellen really wanted to be elsewhere!

Making cookies with Papa!

Skylar and James went golfing with grandma, so Brennen and Kellen had a little bonding time with Papa. Papa had a hard time keeping Brennen's hands out of the bowl.

Pumpkinland!

Our annual trip to Pumpkinland is here! The kids just love going here and they were so excited to arrive.

Off to see the animals. Brennen is shouting "fun, fun, fun" while bouncing on the gravel road.

Brennen wanted to be in the cages with the animals, but did not want to touch them!

Skylar, James, and Kellen had no problems holding the animals!



Off to feed the horses and goats.


Skylar got bit by the horse.

Charlotta just takes it all in (Actually, she's a little annoyed that she is not sleeping!).

Let's go get some pumpkins!


Humm, which one to pick?

Got one!

"Mama, help me!"

James made sure that Charlotta got her pumpkin!

Posing for some pictures!



Into the corn maze


Another successful trip to Pumpkinland!